Handheld electronic device and associated method enabling phonetic text input in a text disambiguation environment and outputting an improved lookup window

ABSTRACT

An improved handheld electronic device and associated method enable the phonetic inputting of text using a reduced keyboard and transformation algorithm. The handheld electronic device and method advantageously enable the inputting of languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and the like without limitation. The transformation algorithm subjects each of a number of linguistic element permutations to an algorithm such as the Maximum Matching Algorithm or other algorithm to generate a string of words and selects one string of words as a default textual output. The character interpretation and variations thereof are output in a lookup component along with a pin and variants thereof to enable the user to select among various character interpretations of an input as well as various alternative pins that correspond with the input.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The instant application claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/969,393 filed Aug. 31, 2007, the disclosures ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The disclosed and claimed concept relates generally to handheldelectronic devices and, more particularly, to a handheld electronicdevice and method that enable the phonetic inputting of text in a textdisambiguation environment and the outputting of an improved lookupwindow.

2. Background Information

Numerous types of handheld electronic devices are known. Examples ofsuch handheld electronic devices include, for instance, personal dataassistants (PDAs), handheld computers, two-way pagers, cellulartelephones, and the like. Many handheld electronic devices also featurewireless communication capability, although many such handheldelectronic devices are stand-alone devices that are functional withoutcommunication with other devices.

In certain circumstances, a handheld electronic device having a keypadof Latin letters can be employed to phonetically enter text in languagesthat are not based upon Latin letters. For instance, Pinyin Chinese is atype of phonetic Chinese “alphabet” which enables transcription betweenLatin text and Standard Mandarin text. Pinyin Chinese can thus enablethe input of Standard Mandarin characters by entering Latin letters. A“pin” is a phonetic sound, oftentimes formed from a plurality of Latinletters, and each pin is associated with one or more Standard Mandarincharacters. More than four hundred pins exist, and each pin typicallycorresponds with a plurality of different Standard Mandarin characters.

Generally each Standard Mandarin character is itself a Chinese word.Moreover, a given Standard Mandarin character in combination with one ormore other Standard Mandarin characters can constitute a different word.An exemplary pin could be phonetically characterized as “da”, whichwould be input on a Latin keyboard by actuating the <D> key followed byan actuation of the <A> key. However, the pin “da” corresponds with aplurality of different Standard Mandarin characters. The pin “da” can bea single-syllable word in the Chinese language that is represented by asingle Standard Mandarin character. The pin “da” can also be a singlesyllable represented by a Standard Mandarin character within a Chineseword having a plurality of syllables, with each syllable beingrepresented by a Standard Mandarin character. As such, substantialdifficulty exits in determining which specific Standard Mandarincharacter should be output in response to an input of a pin when the pincorresponds with a plurality of Standard Mandarin characters.

As the Latin letters of a Pinyin input are being typed they potentiallycan be segmented into different pins. For instance, a string of Latinletters might correspond with a given pin, but the Latin letters mightalso correspond with an initial portion of a longer pin. This addsanother layer of ambiguity to resolving a string of Latin letters intoStandard Mandarin characters.

Numerous methodologies have been developed to assist in generating aStandard Mandarin character interpretation for a series of Latin lettersthat have been input on a device. For instance, an exemplary algorithmwould be the “simple maximum matching” algorithm, which is onetransformation algorithm among many, both simple and complex, of thewell known Maximum Matching Algorithm. A given device may have storedthereon a number of Chinese words comprised of one or more StandardMandarin characters, and the transformation algorithm(s) that areexecuted on the device may employ such linguistic data to develop thebest possible Standard Mandarin character interpretation of a series ofinput Latin letters.

In response to the inputting of a sequence of Latin letters, theaforementioned simple maximum matching algorithm might generate acharacter interpretation comprising the largest Chinese words, i.e., thewords having the greatest quantity of Standard Mandarin characters. Forexample, the algorithm might, as a first step, obtain the largestChinese word having Standard Mandarin characters that correspond withthe pins at the beginning of the pin sequence. As a second step, thealgorithm might obtain the largest Chinese word having Standard Mandarincharacters that correspond with the pins in the sequence thatimmediately follow the previous word. This is repeated until Chinesewords have been obtained for all of the pins in the input sequence. Theresult is then output.

A “complex maximum matching algorithm” might perform a similar analysisbut further resolve pins into strings of three Chinese words. That is,the transformation algorithm might identify the string of three Chinesewords that comprise the most Standard Mandarin characters thatcorrespond with at least a portion of a pin sequence. The transformationalgorithm would then output the first of the three Chinese words asbeing the best interpretation of that portion of the pin sequence. Thetransformation algorithm would then repeat the same analysis beginningwith the pins immediately after the first Chinese word.

As a general matter, the various versions of the Maximum MatchingAlgorithm seek in one way or another to resolve a string of Latinletters into a string of Standard Mandarin characters that make up thefewest Chinese words. While such transformation algorithms have beengenerally effective for their intended purpose, such transformationalgorithms have not been without limitation due, for example, to theambiguity inherent in phonetic language input. It thus would be desiredto provide an improved method and handheld electronic device thatfacilitate the input of text.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full understanding of the disclosed and claimed concept can be gainedfrom the following Description when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an improved handheld electronic device inaccordance with the disclosed and claimed concept;

FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of the improved handheld electronicdevice of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting portions of an improved method inaccordance with the disclosed and claimed concept;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary output during a text entry operation on thehandheld electronic device;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary output during another portion of text entryoperation;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary output during another portion of text entryoperation;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary output during another text entry operation on thehandheld electronic device;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary output during another portion of the other textentry operation;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary output during another portion of the other textentry operation;

FIG. 10 is an exemplary home screen that can be visually output on thehandheld electronic device;

FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary menu that can be output on the handheldelectronic device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 depicts another exemplary menu;

FIG. 13 depicts an exemplary reduced menu;

FIG. 14 is an output such as could occur during another exemplary textentry or text editing operation;

FIG. 15 is an output during another exemplary text entry operation;

FIG. 16 is an alternative output during the exemplary text entryoperation of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is another output during another part of the exemplary textentry operation of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is an exemplary output during a data entry operation;

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of an improved handheld electronic device inaccordance with another embodiment of the disclosed and claimed concept;and

FIG. 20 is a schematic depiction of the improved handheld electronicdevice of FIG. 19.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification.

DESCRIPTION

An improved handheld electronic device 4 is indicated generally in FIG.1 and is depicted schematically in FIG. 2. The exemplary handheldelectronic device 4 includes a housing 6 upon which are disposed aninput apparatus 8, an output apparatus 12, and a processor apparatus 16.The input apparatus 8 is structured to provide input to the processorapparatus 16, and the output apparatus 12 is structured to receiveoutput signals from the processor apparatus 16. The output apparatus 12comprises a display 18 that is structured to provide visual output,although other output devices such as speakers, LEDs, tactile outputdevices, and so forth can be additionally or alternatively used.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the processor apparatus 16 comprises aprocessor 36 and a memory 40. The processor 36 may be, for instance andwithout limitation, a microprocessor (μP) that is responsive to inputsfrom the input apparatus 8 and that provides output signals to theoutput apparatus 12. The processor 36 interfaces with the memory 40.

The memory 40 can be said to constitute a machine-readable medium andcan be any one or more of a variety of types of internal and/or externalstorage media such as, without limitation, RAM, ROM, EPROM(s),EEPROM(s), FLASH, and the like that provide a storage register for datastorage such as in the fashion of an internal storage area of acomputer, and can be volatile memory or nonvolatile memory. The memory40 has stored therein a number of routines 44 which are executable onthe processor 36. As employed herein, the expression “a number of” andvariations thereof shall refer broadly to any non-zero quantity,including a quantity of one. The routines 44 can be in any of a varietyof forms such as, without limitation, software, firmware, and the like.As will be explained in greater detail below, the routines 44 include atext transformation algorithm routine 44, as well as other routines. Thetransformation algorithm 44 is employable to enable phonetic text inputby converting ambiguous Latin text inputs into Chinese word output. Thememory 40 also has stored therein a dictionary 42, a character table 45,and other linguistic data sources that are used by the transformationalgorithm 44 to provide responses to ambiguous text inputs. It is notedthat the Chinese language is used as an exemplary language herein, andit is further understood that other languages such as Japanese andKorean, for example, could similarly be phonetically input on thehandheld electronic device 4 without departing from the present concept.That is, the handheld electronic device 4 is described herein in anexemplary fashion as being configured for the phonetic inputting of theChinese language via transliteration between Latin letters and Chinesecharacters, and it is understood that in other embodiments the handheldelectronic device could be configured to input, for instance, Japaneseor Korean text or text in another language without departing from thepresent concept.

As can be understood from FIG. 1, the input apparatus 8 includes akeypad 24 and a multiple-axis input device which, in the exemplaryembodiment depicted herein, is a track ball 32 that will be described ingreater detail below. The keypad 24 comprises a plurality of keys 28 inthe exemplary form of a reduced QWERTY keyboard, meaning that at leastsome of the keys 28 each have a plurality of linguistic elementsassigned thereto, with at least some of the linguistic elements beingLatin letters arranged generally in a QWERTY configuration. The keys 28and the track ball 32 all serve as input members that are actuatable toprovide input to the processor apparatus 16. The keypad 24 and the trackball 32 are advantageously disposed adjacent one another on a front faceof the housing 6. This enables a user to operate the track ball 32substantially without moving the user's hands away from the keypad 24during a text entry operation or other operation.

One of the keys 28 is an <ESCAPE> key 31 which, when actuated, providesto the processor apparatus 16 an input that undoes the action whichresulted from the immediately preceding input and/or moves the user to alogically higher position within a logical menu tree managed by agraphical user interface (GUI) routine 44. The function provided by the<ESCAPE> key 31 can be used at any logical location within any portionof the logical menu tree except, perhaps, at a home screen such as isdepicted in FIG. 10. The <ESCAPE> key 31 is advantageously disposedadjacent the track ball 32 thereby enabling, for example, an unintendedor incorrect input from the track ball 32 to be quickly undone, i.e.,reversed, by an actuation of the adjacent <ESCAPE> key 31.

Another of the keys 28 is a <MENU> key 33 which, when actuated, providesto the processor apparatus 16 an input that causes the GUI 44 togenerate and output on the display 18 a menu such as is depicted in FIG.9. Such a menu is appropriate to the user's current logical locationwithin the logical menu tree, as will be described in greater detailbelow. It is noted that menus and other subject matter that is notdirectly related to the transformation algorithm 44 is depicted in anexemplary fashion herein in the English language, although this is notintended to be limiting.

While in the depicted exemplary embodiment the multiple-axis inputdevice is the track ball 32, it is noted that multiple-axis inputdevices other than the track ball 32 can be employed without departingfrom the present concept. For instance, other appropriate multiple-axisinput devices could include mechanical devices such as joysticks and thelike and/or non-mechanical devices such as touch pads, track pads andthe like and/or other devices which detect motion or input in otherfashions, such as through the use of optical sensors or piezoelectriccrystals.

The track ball 32 is freely rotatable in all directions with respect tothe housing 6. A rotation of the track ball 32 a predeterminedrotational distance with respect to the housing 6 provides an input tothe processor apparatus 16, and such inputs can be employed by theroutines 44, for example, as navigational inputs, scrolling inputs,selection inputs, and other inputs.

For instance, and as can be seen in FIG. 1, the track ball 32 isrotatable about a horizontal axis 34A to provide vertical scrolling,navigational, selection, or other inputs. Similarly, the track ball 32is rotatable about a vertical axis 34B to provide horizontal scrolling,navigational, selection, or other inputs. Since the track ball 32 isfreely rotatable with respect to the housing 6, the track ball 32 isadditionally rotatable about any other axis (not expressly depictedherein) that lies within the plane of the page of FIG. 1 or that extendsout of the plane of the page of FIG. 1.

The track ball 32 can be said to be a multiple-axis input device becauseit provides scrolling, navigational, selection, and other inputs in aplurality of directions or with respect to a plurality of axes, such asproviding inputs in both the vertical and the horizontal directions. Itis reiterated that the track ball 32 is merely one of many multiple-axisinput devices that could be employed on the handheld electronic device4. As such, mechanical alternatives to the track ball 32, such as ajoystick, might have a limited rotation with respect to the housing 6,and non-mechanical alternatives might be immovable with respect to thehousing 6, yet all are capable of providing input in a plurality ofdirections and/or along a plurality of axes.

The track ball 32 additionally is translatable toward the housing 6,i.e., into the plane of the page of FIG. 1, to provide additionalinputs. The track ball 32 could be translated in such a fashion by, forexample, a user applying an actuating force to the track ball 32 in adirection toward the housing 6, such as by pressing on the track ball32. The inputs that are provided to the processor apparatus 16 as aresult of a translation of the track ball 32 in the indicated fashioncan be employed by the routines 44, for example, as selection inputs,delimiter inputs, or other inputs.

The dictionary 42 in the exemplary embodiment depicted herein is aChinese dictionary, meaning that it includes Chinese words eachcomprised of one or more Standard Mandarin characters. The exemplarycharacter table 45 is a Pinyin Chinese character table, meaning that itincludes a plurality of language objects in the form of Chinese pinsand, associated with each pin, the various Standard Mandarin charactersthat correspond with the pin. Each of the language objects, i.e., pinsin the present example, comprise one or more linguistic elements such asthose assigned to the keys 28 of the keypad 24.

In accordance with the disclosed and claimed concept, the handheldelectronic device 4 and the transformation algorithm 44 advantageouslyenable ambiguous text input that is comprised of Latin letters and thathas been input using the keypad 24 to be transformed into a characterinterpretation which, in the present example, is text in the Chineselanguage and includes Standard Mandarin characters, i.e., a characterinterpretation. The transformation algorithm 44 therefore advantageouslyenables the resolution of the additional level of ambiguity that isimparted to Pinyin Chinese input using the reduced QWERTY keypad 24having a plurality of different Latin letters assigned to each of manyof the keys 28.

As will be described in greater detail below, the transformationalgorithm 44 on the handheld electronic 4, in conjunction with the GUI44, advantageously enables the outputting of a proposed characterinterpretation of an ambiguous text input by simultaneously providingmultiple types of information. The transformation algorithm 44 thusenables the accurate phonetic inputting of text in the Chinese language,for example, despite the additional ambiguity inherent in inputtingLatin letters using the reduced keypad 24. Specifically, and as will beset forth in greater detail below with regard to FIGS. 4-5 and 7-9, theGUI advantageously provides as an output a text input component 46 and alookup component 48. The text input component 46 typically includes astring of language objects, i.e., pins written in Latin letters, thatcorrespond with the input from the keypad 24, as is depicted in FIGS.4-5 and 7-8, or it can include a character interpretation of the input,such as in the form of Chinese words comprised of Standard Mandarincharacters, as is indicated generally in FIGS. 6 and 9, or it caninclude both as is indicted generally in FIG. 9. That is, and as can beseen in FIG. 9, in certain circumstances portions of the pins at thetext input component 46 are replaced with Chinese words comprisingStandard Mandarin characters to form a word portion 76 of the text inputcomponent 46. Any remaining portion of the string of pins at the textinput component 46 that has not been converted into Chinese wordsremains as pins or pin portions or both that are comprised of Latinletters and that form a pin portion 80 of the text input component 46.

The lookup component 48 is in the nature of a lookup window that isoutput on the display 18 at a location different than that of the textinput component 46. The lookup component 48 advantageously includes apin region 52 and a text region 56. In certain circumstances, the pinregion 52 includes as a default pin 60 one of the pins that is output atthe text input component 46 and additionally may include one or morevariant pins 64 that are selectable as alternatives to the default pin60. In certain circumstances, the text region 56 comprises a defaultcharacter interpretation 68 of at least an initial portion of the pinportion 80 of the output at the text input component 46 and additionallyincludes, as appropriate, one or more variant character interpretations72 of the same initial portion or a different initial portion of the pinportion 80.

The various displayed objects in the lookup component 48, i.e., thedefault and variant pins 60 and 64 and the default and variant characterinterpretations 68 and 72, for example, advantageously are allselectable by the user during text input in order to enable the user toexpressly indicate the particular pin and/or character interpretationthat was intended to be input by the user in typing the ambiguous textinput. The contents of the text input component 46 and the lookupcomponent 48 are, at least initially, generated by the transformationalgorithm 44 in response to an ambiguous text input from the keypad 24.

The operation of the transformation algorithm 44 is described generallyin conjunction with the flowchart that is depicted generally in FIG. 3.The method begins with the detection of an input member actuation, as at104, i.e., an actuation of an input member having a number of linguisticelements assigned thereto. Responsive thereto, the GUI 44 outputs as at108 a linguistic element at a text input location, i.e., where the textinput component 46 is displayed. Also, to the extent that any languageobjects, i.e., pins, and Standard Mandarin characters exist thatcorrespond with the input member actuation at 108, they are output atthe lookup component 48 in a lookup window. In this regard, it isunderstood that very few pins consist of a single Latin letter. As such,it is possible that virtually no output will be provided in the lookupcomponent 48 in response to the first input member actuation at 104.

However, the linguistic elements assigned to the input member that wasactuated at 104 are used as the initial linguistic elements of a numberof linguistic element permutations that are constructed and used duringthe ambiguous text input. A second input member actuation is detected,as at 116, and the linguistic elements that are assigned to the actuatedinput member are appended, as at 120, to each of the active linguisticelement permutations. Each linguistic element permutation comprises astring of Latin letters, one Latin letter for each input memberactuation, and is a letter permutation of the string of input memberactuations of the ambiguous text input.

Each linguistic element permutation is then processed, as at 124, withthe transformation algorithm 44 to obtain a string of language objects,i.e., pins, and corresponding strings of Chinese words comprisingStandard Mandarin characters. As mentioned above, the transformationalgorithm 44 can include any one or more versions of the MatchingMaximum Algorithm and/or other appropriate algorithms to transformphonetic Latin inputs into words of another language, such as Chinese inthe present example. It is noted that the obtained string of languageobjects for any given linguist element permutation would morespecifically constitute the segmentation of the string of Latin lettersof the linguistic element permutation into a string of pins. Theresultant string of words would comprise a number of Chinese wordscomprising Standard Mandarin characters that correspond with the stringof pins. As a general matter, the transformation algorithm 44 willgenerate for any given linguistic element permutation a string ofChinese words that corresponds with the obtained string of languageobjects, pins, and that comprises generally the smallest quantity ofChinese words. In this regard, it is reiterated that some Chinese wordscan comprise a plurality of pins, with each pin being represented by astandard Mandarin character. The string of words generated for any givenlinguistic element permutation thus would either constitute the smallestnumber of Chinese words that correspond with a given quantity of pins,or would comprise the string of Chinese words of a given quantity thatcomprise the greatest number of pins and thus standard Mandarincharacters, or both.

Certain of the linguistic element permutations might be determined to beinvalid and are thus ignored. That is, the aforementioned variouslinguistic element permutations might not comprise every possiblepermutation of linguistic elements of the ambiguous text input sincesome permutations of the linguistic elements might be invalid in thescheme of Pinyin Chinese input. For instance, if the first two inputmember actuations of the ambiguous text input were the key sequence <AS><AS>, the various letter permutations at this point would be “AA”, “AS”,“SA”, and “SS”. The letter permutation “SS” would be considered to beinvalid in Pinyin Chinese since “SS” could not be the initial twoletters of a string of Pinyin Chinese inputs. That is, no pincorresponds with “SS” or “S”, and no pin begins with “SS”. As such, thelinguistic element permutation beginning with “SS” would be ignored uponthe second input member actuation, and with further input memberactuations no larger linguistic element permutation would be constructedupon the “SS” linguistic element permutation. A linguist elementpermutation that is being constructed can at any time be determined tobe invalid, and is thus ignored, if a portion of the linguistic elementpermutation is determined to be invalid, such as if the linguisticelement permutation was determined to comprise the Latin letters “DDD”,which could not be validity resolved into Chinese pins. Such ignoring ofinvalid linguistic element permutation advantageously reduces processoreffort by ignoring linguistic possibilities that are incapable ofresulting in a valid character interpretation.

The determination of invalidity typically occurs through the use of thetransformation algorithm 44. As such, once each of the existinglinguistic element permutations is processed, as at 124, with thetransformation algorithm 44, any of the linguist element permutationsthat are determined by the transformation algorithm 44 to be invalid arediscarded, as at 128.

In accordance with the disclosed and claimed concept, the transformationalgorithm 44 then compares the strings of words of the variouslinguistic element permutations, as were generated at 124, andidentifies, as at 132, the linguist element permutation or permutationshaving the fewest quantity of words in its string of words. That is, thetransformation algorithm 44 identifies at 132 the linguistic elementpermutation for which the quantity of Chinese words in the generatedstring of words is less than the quantities of words in the otherstrings of words that were generated for the other linguist elementpermutations. It is possible, however, that a plurality of linguisticelement permutation have the same smallest quantity of Chinese words intheir strings of words. It is therefore determined, as at 136, whetherthe transformation algorithm 44 identified a plurality of linguisticelement permutations as each having the fewest words.

If it is determined at 136 that only one such linguistic elementpermutation was identified as having the fewest words, processingcontinues, as at 140, where an output is generated and is displayed atthe text input component 46 and the lookup component 48. Specifically,at 140 the GUI 44 outputs at the text input component 46 the segmentedstring of language objects, i.e., pins of the identified linguisticelement permutation. Additionally, the GUI 44 outputs in a lookup windowat the lookup component 48 a default pin 60 which, in the exemplaryembodiment depicted herein, is the terminal pin of the sequence of pinsthat was output at the text input component 46. The default pin 60, aswell as one or more variant pins 64, if they exist, are output at thepin region 52 of the lookup component 48. Additionally, the GUI 44outputs at the text region 56 of the lookup window at the lookupcomponent 48 a default character interpretation 68 that comprises one ormore Chinese words comprising Standard Mandarin characters, and furtheroutputs one or more variant character interpretations 72, to the extentthat they might exist. An exemplary output is shown in FIG. 4 and willbe described in greater detail below.

If, on the other hand, it was determined at 136 that a plurality oflinguistic elements were identified as having the fewest Chinese words,processing continues as at 144 where, for each such linguistic elementpermutation, the transformation algorithm 44 obtains frequency dataassociated with each of the words of the character interpretation of thelinguistic element permutation. Such frequency data is already stored,for example, in the dictionary 42. As mentioned above, the dictionary 42comprises a plurality of words which, in the present exemplaryembodiment, are Chinese words that each comprise one or more StandardMandarin characters. The dictionary 42 additionally includes a number offrequency objects each having a frequency value. Each word in thedictionary 42 has associated therewith one of the frequency objects. Thefrequency value of the associated frequency object is reflective of therelative frequency of use of the Chinese word within the Chineselanguage.

At 144, therefore, the transformation algorithm 44 obtains from thedictionary 42 the frequency values of the frequency objects associatedwith the words in the string of words, sums the frequency values, andattributes the frequency value sum to the particular linguistic elementpermutation. The frequency value sums of the various linguistic elementpermutations are then compared with one another, and the transformationalgorithm identifies, as at 148, the linguistic element permutationhaving attributed thereto the greatest frequency value sum. As such, itcan be seen that the result at 148 is an identification of thelinguistic element permutation having both a smallest quantity ofChinese words and having a greatest overall frequency value whencompared with other linguistic element permutations having the samefewest quantity of Chinese words. Processing thereafter continues, as at140, where the linguistic element permutation identified at 148 isoutput in the text input component 46 and a corresponding lookupcomponent 48 is generated and is similarly output.

Once the output is generated, as at 140, processing continues, as at116, where an additional input member actuation is detected. In such afashion, any linguistic element permutation that has not been discardedis gradually built up with the various linguistic elements of each inputmember as the input member is actuated. For example, if eight linguisticelement permutations were remaining at the time of an actuation of aninput member such as the key 28 <BN>, the transformation algorithm 44would generate sixteen linguistic element permutations. That is, alleight of the remaining linguistic element permutations would separatelyhave the letters “B” and “N” appended thereto for a total of sixteen newlinguistic element permutations. All sixteen of the new linguisticelement permutations, for example, would therefore be subjected, as at124, to the transformation algorithm 44 to generate a segmented stringof language objects and a corresponding string of Chinese words. Any ofthe linguistic element permutations that are determined to be invalidwould be ignored, as at 128.

Exemplary outputs of an exemplary text input operation are depictedgenerally in FIGS. 4-9. FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary output in responseto the ambiguous text input <DF> <AS> <JK> <UI> <AS®. In responsethereto, the transformation algorithm 44 and the GUI 44 have output atthe text component 46 the pin string “DA'JIA”, which comprises the twopins “DA” and “JIA”, with the segmentation between the two pins beingindicated by an apostrophe. It can be seen that the terminal pin “JIA”of the string of language objects, i.e., pins, output at the text inputcomponent 46 is likewise output as a default pin 60 in the pin region 52of the lookup component 48. Also listed in the pin region 52 are aplurality of variant pins 64 comprising the pins “JU”, “JUA”, “JI”,“KUA”, and “KU”. Back in the text input component 46, the pin “JIA”within the sequence of pins has an indicator 284 applied thereto, whichindicates that the pin “JIA” of the text input component 46 is thesubject of the pin region 52 of the lookup component 48. In the pinregion 52 itself, the default pin 60 has a highlight 288 appliedthereto, which indicates that the default pin 60 is the subject of aselection focus of the processor apparatus 16, and which means thatinputs received such as via the track ball 32 or otherwise will beinterpreted by the processor apparatus 16 with respect to the defaultpin 60.

For example, if the pin to which the highlight 288 is applied, i.e., inFIG. 4 the default pin 60, the pin will be finalized, i.e., it will bedeemed to have been affirmatively selected by the user. In response, theoutput changes to be that depicted generally in FIG. 5. Specifically,the highlight 288 is applied to the default character interpretation 68,and the indicator 284 indicates the entire pin string “DA'JIA”. Sincethe indicator 284 indicates the subject matter of the lookup component48, the application of the indicator 284 to the entire pin string in thetext input component 46 indicates to the user that the entire pin stringcorresponds with the displayed object in the lookup component 48 that isthe subject of the highlight 288 in FIG. 5, i.e., the default characterinterpretation 68.

Since the default character interpretation 68 is the subject of thehighlight 288, the default character interpretation 68 can be finalized,i.e., affirmatively selected by the user, by the user translating, i.e.,pressing or clicking, the track ball 32, by actuating an <ENTER> key, orby providing some other predetermined input. In the event that the userselects the default character interpretation 68 of FIG. 5, the outputwill change to that of FIG. 6 where the lookup component 48 has beenremoved and wherein the string of pins that had been output at the textinput component 46 and to which corresponded the default characterinterpretation 68 are replaced with the default characterinterpretations 68.

With reference back to FIG. 5, it can be seen that when the defaultcharacter interpretation 68 is the subject of the highlight 288, the pinregion 52 of the lookup component 48 provides as a default pin 60 thepin “DA” and as a variant pin 64 the pin “FA”. Since the defaultcharacter interpretation 68 is the subject of the highlight 288 and thuscan be finalized by the user clicking the track ball, the pin region 52provides to a user at this point an opportunity to perform an editingoperation. Specifically, it can be seen that the default pin 60 “DA” isalso the first, i.e., leftmost, pin in the pin sequence in the textlookup component 46. As was seen in FIG. 4, during the typing oflinguistic input members the pin region 52 of the lookup component 48typically provides as the default and variant pins 60 and 64 the currentpin being entered, i.e., the terminal pin, and variants thereof.However, and as can be seen in FIG. 5, when a character interpretationis the subject of the highlight 288 and thus is capable of beingfinalized by the user, the system advantageously outputs the initial pinof the pin sequence of the text input component 46 in order to allow itto be edited.

For instance, and from the output depicted generally in FIG. 5, if theuser entered an upward scrolling input, i.e., an upward movement inputwith the track ball 32, the default pin 60 “DA” would become the subjectof the highlight 288 and thus the selection focus of the processorapparatus 16. An affirmative selection of the default pin 60 would notchange the contents of the text region 56 of the lookup component 48since the text region 56 already displays character interpretations ofthe pin sequence “DA'JIA”, and a selection of the default pin 60 “DA”would not change the pin sequence or the character interpretationthereof. However, if the user entered a scrolling input in a rightwarddirection, i.e., a movement input to the right with the track ball 32,the variant pin 64 “FA” would become the subject of the highlight 288,which could result in the contents of the text region 56 being updatedand changed to reflect a selection of the variant pin 64 “FA” as theinitial pin of the pin string at the text input location 46.

If at FIG. 4 the user had entered a scrolling input the rightwarddirection, the output would be as depicted generally in FIG. 7.Specifically, since in FIG. 4 the highlight 288 and thus the selectionfocus are applied to the default pin 60 “JIA”, a single rightward scrollwith the track ball 32 would cause the variant pin 64 “JU” to be thesubject of the highlight 288 and the selection focus. In this regard, itcan be seen that not all of the variant pins 64 have the same number ofcharacters as the default pin 60, i.e., the default pin 60 “JIA” hasthree characters while some of the variant pins 64 have three charactersand others have two characters. This reflects the ambiguity inherent inthe current input method. The linguistic element permutations that weregenerated and which resulted in the pin sequence that is output at thetext input component 46 also indicate that the final three input memberactuations could refer to the relatively shorter pin “JU” followed bythe character “A” which could be its own individual pin or could be theinitial letter of a longer pin. Since in FIG. 7 the variant pin 64 “JU”is the subject of the highlight 288, the indicator 284 in FIG. 7indicates the same characters “JU” in the text input component 46 asbeing the subject of the lookup component 48.

As can further be seen in FIG. 7, the rightward scrolling input from thetrack ball 32 has not only made the variant pin 64 “JU” the subject ofthe selection focus, but has also caused the text region 56 of thelookup component 48 to be changed to reflect the preliminarily changedpin sequence. That is, in FIG. 4 the pin sequence that was output at thetext input component 46 was “DA'JIA”, i.e., the pin “DA” followed by thepin “JIA”. In FIG. 7, the rightward scroll with the track ball 32 hascaused the variant pin 64 “JU” to be the subject of the highlight 288and the selection focus, and has also resulted in the pin sequence thatis output at the text input component 46 to be changed at leastpreliminarily to the pin “DA” followed by the pin “JU” followed eitherthe pin “A” or a pin that begins with the letter “A”.

If at FIG. 7 the user affirmatively selected the pin “JU” that is thesubject of the highlight 288, the output will change to be that of FIG.8. Specifically, the initial portion of the output at the text inputcomponent 46 is the subject of the indicator 284, i.e., the pin sequence“DA'JU”, i.e., the pin “DA” followed by the pin “JU”. The defaultcharacter interpretation in FIG. 8 is the subject of the highlight 288and thus the selection focus.

If in FIG. 8 the user affirmatively selected the default characterinterpretation 68, such as by actuating or clicking the track ball 32,the output would be as depicted generally in FIG. 9. Specifically, theportion of the pin sequence at the text input component 46 in FIG. 8that is the subject of the indicator 284 would be replaced with thedefault character interpretation 68 of FIG. 8, thus forming in the textinput component 46 the word portion 76 comprising what had been thedefault character interpretation 68 and a pin portion 80 comprising theletter “A” which is itself a pin as is indicated by the default andvariant character interpretations 68 an 72 in the text region 56. FIG. 9depicts the default pin 60 “A” as being the subject of the highlight288. If the user either actuated the track ball 32 or entered ascrolling input in a downward direction with the track ball 32, thesingle-character default character interpretation 68 would be thesubject of the highlight 288. A click of the track ball 32 wouldaffirmatively select the default character interpretation 68 and wouldoutput it in the text input component 46 in place of the pin “A” that isthe subject of the indicator 284 and that is the pin portion 80.

It can be understood that all of the objects that are displayed in thelookup component 48 are selectable objects that are capable of beingaffirmatively selected by the user through the use of actuations, i.e.,translations, of the track ball 32 and/or scrolling inputs, i.e.,movement inputs or navigational inputs, from the track ball 32. Whilethe transformation algorithm 44 generates and outputs what is proposedto the user to be the best interpretation of an ambiguous Latincharacter text input, the pin region 52 and the text region 56 of thelookup component 48 together advantageously enable the user to selectalternate pins and/or to select alternate character interpretations inone location with the use of a single input member, the multiple-axistrack ball 32.

Additional benefits are provided by the multiple-axis input device. Forinstance, an exemplary home screen output that can be visually output onthe display 18 is depicted in FIG. 10 as including a plurality of icons1062 that are selectable by the user for the purpose of, for example,initiating the execution on the processor apparatus 16 of a routine 44that is represented by an icon 1062. The track ball 32 is rotatable toprovide, for example, navigational inputs among the icons 1062.

For example, FIG. 10 depicts the travel of an indicator 1066 from theicon 1062A, as is indicated in broken lines with the indicator 1066A, tothe icon 1062B, as is indicated in broken lines with the indicator1066B, and onward to the icon 1062C, as is indicated by the indicator1066C. It is understood that the indicators 1066A, 1066B, and 1066C arenot necessarily intended to be simultaneously depicted on the display18, but rather are intended to together depict a series of situationsand to indicate movement of the indicator 1066 among the icons 1062. Theparticular location of the indicator 1066 at any given time indicates toa user the particular icon 1062, for example, that is the subject of aselection focus of the handheld electronic device 4. Whenever an icon1062 or other selectable object is the subject of the selection focus, aselection input to the processor apparatus 16 will result in executionor initiation of the routine 44 or other function that is represented bythe icon 1062 or other selectable object.

The movement of the indicator 1066 from the icon 1062A, as indicatedwith the indicator 1066A, to the icon 1062B, as is indicated by theindicator 1066B, was accomplished by rotating the track ball 32 aboutthe vertical axis 34B to provide a horizontal navigational input. Asmentioned above, a rotation of the track ball 32 a predeterminedrotational distance results in an input to the processor apparatus 16.In the present example, the track ball 32 would have been rotated aboutthe vertical axis 34B a rotational distance equal to three times thepredetermined rotational distance since the icon 62B is disposed threeicons 1062 to the right the icon 1062A. Such rotation of the track ball32 likely would have been made in a single motion by the user, but thisneed not necessarily be the case.

Similarly, the movement of the indicator 1066 from the icon 1062B, asindicated by the indicator 1066B, to the icon 1062C, as is indicated bythe indicator 1066C, was accomplished by the user rotating the trackball 32 about the horizontal axis 34A to provide a vertical navigationalinput. In so doing, the track ball 32 would have been rotated arotational distance equal to two times the predetermined rotationaldistance since the icon 1062C is disposed two icons 1062 below the icon1062B. Such rotation of the track ball 32 likely would have been made ina single motion by the user, but this need not necessarily be the case.

It thus can be seen that the track ball 32 is rotatable in variousdirections to provide various navigational and other inputs to theprocessor apparatus 16. Rotational inputs by the track ball 32 typicallyare interpreted by whichever routine 44 is active on the handheldelectronic device 4 as inputs that can be employed by such routine 44.For example, the GUI 44 that is active on the handheld electronic device4 in FIG. 10 requires vertical and horizontal navigational inputs tomove the indicator 1066, and thus the selection focus, among the icons1062. If a user rotated the track ball 32 about an axis oblique to thehorizontal axis 34A and the vertical axis 34B, the GUI 44 likely wouldresolve such an oblique rotation of the track ball 32 into vertical andhorizontal components which could then be interpreted by the GUI 44 asvertical and horizontal navigational movements, respectively. In such asituation, if one of the resolved vertical and horizontal navigationalmovements is of a greater magnitude than the other, the resolvednavigational movement having the greater magnitude would be employed bythe GUI 44 as a navigational input in that direction to move theindicator 1066 and the selection focus, and the other resolvednavigational movement would be ignored by the GUI 44, for example.

When the indicator 1066 is disposed on the icon 1062C, as is indicatedby the indicator 1066C, the selection focus of the handheld electronicdevice 4 is on the icon 1062C. As such, a translation of the track ball32 toward the housing 6 as described above would provide an input to theprocessor apparatus 16 that would be interpreted by the GUI 44 as aselection input with respect to the icon 1062C. In response to such aselection input, the processor apparatus 16 would, for example, begin toexecute a routine 44 that is represented by the icon 1062C. It thus canbe understood that the track ball 32 is rotatable to providenavigational and other inputs in multiple directions, assuming that theroutine 44 that is currently active on the handheld electronic device 4can employ such navigational or other inputs in a plurality ofdirections, and can also be translated to provide a selection input orother input.

As mentioned above, FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary menu 1035A that wouldbe appropriate if the user's current logical location within the logicalmenu tree was viewing an email within an email routine 44. That is, themenu 1035A provides selectable options that would be appropriate for auser given that the user is, for example, viewing an email within anemail routine 44. In a similar fashion, FIG. 12 depicts anotherexemplary menu 1035B that would be depicted if the user's currentlogical location within the logical menu tree was within a telephoneroutine 44.

Rotational movement inputs from the track ball 32 could be employed tonavigate among, for example, the menus 1035A and 1035B. For instance,after an actuation of the <MENU> key 33 and an outputting by the GUI 44of a resultant menu, the user could rotate the track ball 32 to providescrolling inputs to successively highlight the various selectableoptions within the menu. Once the desired selectable option ishighlighted, i.e., is the subject of the selection focus, the user couldtranslate the track ball 32 toward the housing 6 to provide a selectioninput as to the highlighted selectable option. In this regard, it isnoted that the <MENU> key 33 is advantageously disposed adjacent thetrack ball 32. This enables, for instance, the generation of a menu byan actuation the <MENU> key 33, conveniently followed by a rotation thetrack ball 32 to highlight a desired selectable option, for instance,followed by a translation of the track ball 32 toward the housing 6 toprovide a selection input to initiate the operation represented by thehighlighted selectable option.

It is further noted that one of the additional inputs that can beprovided by a translation of the track ball 32 is an input that causesthe GUI 44 to output a reduced menu. For instance, a translation of thetrack ball 32 toward the housing 6 could result in the generation andoutput of a more limited version of a menu than would have beengenerated if the <MENU> key 33 had instead been actuated. Such a reducedmenu would therefore be appropriate to the user's current logicallocation within the logical menu tree and would provide those selectableoptions which the user would have a high likelihood of selecting.Rotational movements of the track ball 32 could provide scrolling inputsto scroll among the selectable options within the reduced menu 1035C,and translation movements of the track ball 32 could provide selectioninputs to initiate whatever function is represented by the selectableoption within the reduce menu 1035C that is currently highlighted.

By way of example, if instead of actuating the <MENU> key 33 to generatethe menu 1035A the user translated the track ball 32, the GUI 44 wouldgenerate and output on the display the reduced menu 1035C that isdepicted generally in FIG. 13. The exemplary reduced menu 1035C providesas selectable options a number of the selectable options from the menu1035A that the user would be most likely to select. As such, a userseeking to perform a relatively routine function could, instead ofactuating the <MENU> key 33 to display the full menu 1035A, translatethe track ball 32 to generate and output the reduced menu 1035C. Theuser could then conveniently rotate the track ball 32 to providescrolling inputs to highlight a desired selectable option, and couldthen translate the track ball 32 to provide a selection input whichwould initiate the function represented by the selectable option in thereduced menu 1035C that is currently highlighted.

In the present exemplary embodiment, many of the menus that could begenerated as a result of an actuation of the <MENU> key 33 could insteadbe generated and output in reduced form as a reduced menu in response toa translation of the track ball 32 toward the housing 6. It is noted,however, that a reduced menu might not be available for each full menuthat could be generated from an actuation of the <MENU> key 33.Depending upon the user's specific logical location within the logicalmenu tree, a translation of the track ball 32 might be interpreted as aselection input rather than an input seeking a reduced menu. Forinstance, a translation of the track ball 32 on the home screen depictedin FIG. 1 would result in a selection input as to whichever of the icons1062 is the subject of the input focus. If the <MENU> key 33 wasactuated on the home screen, the GUI 44 would output a menu appropriateto the home screen, such as a full menu of all of the functions that areavailable on the handheld electronic device 4, including those thatmight not be represented by icons 1062 on the home screen.

FIG. 14 depicts a quantity of text that is output on the display 18,such as during a text entry operation or during a text editingoperation, for example. The indicator 1066 is depicted in FIG. 14 asbeing initially over the letter “L”, as is indicated with the indicator1066D, and having been moved horizontally to the letter “I”, as isindicated by the indicator 1066E, and thereafter vertically moved to theletter “W”, as is indicated by the indicator 1066F. In a fashion similarto that in FIG. 10, the cursor 1066 was moved among the letters “L”,“I”, and “W” through the use of horizontal and vertical navigationalinputs resulting from rotations of the track ball 32. In the example ofFIG. 14, however, each rotation of the track ball 32 the predeterminedrotational distance would move the indicator 1066 to the next adjacentletter. As such, in moving the indicator 1066 between the letters “L”and “I,” the user would have rotated the track ball 32 about thevertical axis 1034B a rotational distance equal to nine times thepredetermined rotational distance, for example, since “I” is disposednine letters to the right of “L”.

FIG. 15 depicts an output 1064 on the display 18 during, for example, atext entry operation that employs the disambiguation routine 44. Theoutput 1064 can be said to comprise a text component 1068 and a variantcomponent 1072. The variant component 1072 comprises a default portion1076 and a variant portion 1080. FIG. 15 depicts the indicator 1066G onthe variant 1080 “HAV”, such as would result from a rotation of thetrack ball 32 about the horizontal axis 34A to provide a downwardvertical scrolling input. In this regard, it is understood that arotation of the track ball 32 a distance equal to the predeterminedrotational distance would have moved the indicator 1066 from a position(not expressly depicted herein) disposed on the default portion 1076 tothe position disposed on the first variant 1080, as is depicted in FIG.15. Since such a rotation of the track ball 32 resulted in the firstvariant 1080 “HAV” being highlighted with the indicator 1066G, the textcomponent 1068 likewise includes the text “HAV” immediately preceding acursor 1084A.

FIG. 16 depict an alternative output 1064A having an alternative variantcomponent 1072A having a default portion 1076A and a variant portion1080A. The variant component 1072A is horizontally arranged, meaningthat the default portion 1076A and the variants 1080A are disposedhorizontally adjacent one another and can be sequentially selected bythe user through the use of horizontal scrolling inputs, such as by theuser rotating the track ball 32 the predetermined rotational distanceabout the vertical axis 34B. This is to be contrasted with the variantcomponent 1072 of FIG. 15 wherein the default portion 1076 and thevariants 1080 are vertically arranged, and which can be sequentiallyselected by the user through the user of vertical scrolling inputs withthe track ball 32.

In this regard, it can be understood that the track ball 32 can provideboth the vertical scrolling inputs employed in conjunction with theoutput 1064 as well as the horizontal scrolling inputs employed inconjunction with the output 1064A. For instance, the disambiguationroutine 44 potentially could allow the user to customize the operationthereof by electing between the vertically arranged variant component1072 and the horizontally arranged variant component 1072A. The trackball 32 can provide scrolling inputs in the vertical direction and/orthe horizontal direction, as needed, and thus is operable to provideappropriate scrolling inputs regardless of whether the user chooses thevariant component 1072 or the variant component 1072A. That is, thetrack ball 32 can be rotated about the horizontal axis 34A to providethe vertical scrolling inputs employed in conjunction with the variantcomponent 1072, and also can be rotated about the vertical axis 34B toprovide the horizontal scrolling inputs that are employed in conjunctionwith the variant component 1064A. The track ball 32 thus could provideappropriate navigational, strolling, selection, and other inputsdepending upon the needs of the routine 44 active at any time on thehandheld electronic device 4. The track ball 32 enables suchnavigational, strolling, selection, and other inputs to be intuitivelygenerated by the user through rotations of the track ball 32 indirections appropriate to the active routine 44, such as might beindicated on the display 18.

It can further be seen from FIG. 16 that the variant component 1072Aadditionally includes a value 1081 that is indicative of the languageinto which the disambiguation routine 44 will interpret ambiguous textinput. In the example depicted in FIG. 16, the language is English.

As can be seen in FIG. 17, the value 1081 can be selected by the user tocause the displaying of a list 1083 of alternative values 1085. Thealternative values 1085 are indicative of selectable alternativelanguages into which the disambiguation routine 44 can interpretambiguous input. A selection of the value 1081 would have been achieved,for example, by the user providing horizontal scrolling inputs with thetrack ball 32 to cause (not expressly depicted herein) the indicator1066 to be disposed over the value 1081, and by thereafter translatingthe track ball 32 toward the housing 6 to provide a selection input.

The alternative values 1085 in the list 1083 are vertically arrangedwith respect to one another and with respect to the value 1081. As such,a vertical scrolling input with the track ball 32 can result in avertical movement of the indicator 10661 to a position on one of thealternative values 1085 which, in the present example, is thealternative value 1085 “FR”, which is representative of the Frenchlanguage. The alternative value 1085 “FR” could become selected by theuser in any of a variety of fashions, such as by actuating the trackball 32 again, by continuing to enter text, or in other fashions. Itthus can be understood from FIG. 16 and FIG. 17 that the track ball 32can be rotated to provide horizontal scrolling inputs and, whenappropriate, to additionally provide vertical scrolling inputs and, whenappropriate, to additionally provide selection inputs, for example.

FIG. 18 depicts another exemplary output on the display 18 such as mightbe employed by a data entry routine 44. The exemplary output of FIG. 18comprises a plurality of input fields 1087 with correspondingdescriptions. A cursor 1084D, when disposed within one of the inputfields 1087, indicates to the user that an input focus of the handheldelectronic device 4 is on that input field 1087. That is, data such astext, numbers, symbols, and the like, will be entered into whicheverinput field 1087 is active, i.e., is the subject of the input focus. Itis understood that the handheld electronic device 4 might perform otheroperations or take other actions depending upon which input field 1087is the subject of the input focus.

Navigational inputs from the track ball 32 advantageously enable thecursor 1084D, and thus the input focus, to be switched, i.e., shifted,among the various input fields 1087. For example, the input fields 1087could include the input fields 1087A, 1087B, and 1087C. FIG. 18 depictsthe cursor 1084D as being disposed in the input field 1087C, indicatingthat the input field 1087C is the subject of the input focus of thehandheld electronic device 4. It is understood that the cursor 1084D,and thus the input focus, can be shifted from the input field 1087C tothe input field 1087A, which is disposed adjacent and vertically abovethe input field 1087C, by providing a vertical scrolling input in theupward direction with the track ball 32. That is, the track ball 32would be rotated the predetermined rotational distance about thehorizontal axis 34. Similarly, the cursor 1084D, and thus the inputfocus, can be shifted from the input field 1087A to the input field1087B, which is disposed adjacent and to the right of the input field1087A, by providing a horizontal scrolling input to the right with thetrack ball 32. That is, such a horizontal scrolling input could beprovided by rotating the track ball the predetermined rotationaldistance about the vertical axis 34B. It thus can be seen that the trackball 32 is rotatable in a plurality of directions about a plurality axesto provide navigational, scrolling, and other inputs in a plurality ofdirections among a plurality of input fields 1087. Other types of inputsand/or inputs in other applications will be apparent.

An improved handheld electronic device 2004 in accordance with stillanother embodiment of the disclosed and claimed concept is depictedgenerally in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20. The handheld electronic device 2004includes a housing 2006 upon which are disposed an input apparatus 2008,an output apparatus 2012, and a processor apparatus 2016. The processorapparatus 2016 comprises a processor 2036 a memory 2040 having storedtherein a number of routines 2044. All of the operations that can beperformed on or with the handheld electronic device 4 can be performedon or with the handheld electronic device 2004. As such, the features ofthe handheld electronic device 2004 that are common with the handheldelectronic device 4, and this would comprise essentially all of thefeatures of the handheld electronic device 4, will generally not berepeated.

As a general matter, the handheld electronic device 2004 issubstantially identical in configuration and function to the handheldelectronic device 4, except that the handheld electronic device 2004includes a touch screen display 2055 that provides a non-mechanicalmultiple-axis input device 2032 instead of the track ball 32. Thenon-mechanical multiple-axis input device 2032 can be said to be in theform of a virtual track ball 2032.

As is generally understood, the touch screen display 2055 includes aliquid crystal layer between a pair of substrates, with each substrateincluding an electrode. The electrodes form a grid which defines theaperture size of the pixels. When a charge is applied to the electrodes,the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer become alignedgenerally perpendicular to the two substrates. A display input/outputsubassembly 2053 of the output apparatus 2012 controls the location ofthe charge applied to the electrodes thereby enabling the formation ofimages on the touch screen display 2055.

Additionally, the touch screen display 2055 comprises a sensor assembly2057 which comprises an output device 2059 and a plurality of detectors2061. The detectors 2061 are shown schematically and are typically toosmall to be seen by the naked eye. Each detector 2061 is in electricalcommunication with the output device 2059 and creates an output signalwhen actuated. The detectors 2061 are disposed in a pattern, discussedbelow, and are structured to detect an external object immediatelyadjacent to, or touching, the touch screen display 2055. The externalobject is typically a stylus or a user's finger (not shown). The outputdevice 2059 and/or the processor 2016 are structured to receive thedetector signals and convert the signals to data representing thelocation of the external object relative to the touch screen display2055. As such, while the sensor assembly 2057 is physically a componentof the touch screen display 2055, it is nevertheless considered to be alogical component of the input apparatus 2008 since it provides input tothe processor apparatus.

The detectors 2061 are typically capacitive detectors, opticaldetectors, resistive detectors, or mechanical detectors such as straingauge or charged grid, although other technologies may be employedwithout departing from the present concept. Typically, capacitivedetectors are structured to detect a change in capacitance caused by theelectrical field of the external object or a change in capacitancecaused by the compression of the capacitive detector. Optical detectorsare structured to detect a reflection of light, e.g., light created bythe touch screen display 2055. Mechanical detectors include a chargedgrid with columns that would be disposed on one side of the touch screendisplay 2055 and a corresponding grid without columns would be disposedat another location on the touch screen display 2055. In such aconfiguration, when the touch screen display 2055 is compressed, i.e. asa result of being touched by the user, the columns at the area ofcompression contact the opposing grid thereby completing a circuit.

Capacitive detectors may be disposed upon either substrate and, althoughsmall, require space. Thus, and any pixel that is disposed adjacent adetector 2061 will have a reduced size, or aperture, to accommodate theadjacent detector 2061.

The detectors 2061 are disposed in a pattern, and at least some of thedetectors 2061 preferably are arranged in lines that form a grid. Afirst portion of the detectors 2061 are disposed on a first area 2081 ofthe touch screen display 2055, and a second portion of the detectors2061 are disposed on a second area 2083 of the touch screen display2055. As can be seen from FIG. 19, the first area 2081 essentially isevery region of the touch screen display 2005 other than the second area2083.

The first portion of the detectors 2061 disposed on the first area 2081of the touch screen display 2055 are disposed in a relatively sparsepattern in order to minimize the visual interference that is caused bythe presence of the detectors 2061 adjacent the pixels. Preferably, thespacing of the detectors 2061 on the first area 2081 is between about1.0 mm and 10.0 mm between the detectors 2061, and more preferably about3.0 mm between the detectors 2061.

The second portion of the detectors 2061 are disposed in a relativelydense pattern on the second area 2083 of the touch screen display 2055and are structured to support the function of the virtual track ball2032. The image quality in the second area 2083 of the touch screendisplay 2055 is adversely affected due to the dense spacing of thedetectors 2061 there. However, the second area 2083 is a relativelysmall area compared to the entire touch screen display 2055. Preferably,the density of the detectors 2061 in the second area 2083 is betweenabout 0.05 mm and 3.0 mm between the detectors, and more preferablyabout 0.1 mm between the detectors 2061. Further, because the pixels inthe second area 2083 are dedicated for the virtual track ball 2032, itis acceptable to have a reduced pixel density with larger pixels. Sincethe pixel size would be very large, the aspect ratio would besignificantly higher than that of pixels that are not disposed adjacenta detector 2061. The pixels in the second area 2083 likely would bespecial function pixels, such as pixels that would both depict thevirtual track ball 2032 and that would light up the second area 2083 tohighlight the virtual track ball 2032.

The processor apparatus is structured to create images and define theboundaries of selectable portions of the images on the touch screendisplay 2055. For example, the processor apparatus will create theimages of selectable icons or other objects on specific portions of thetouch screen display 2055. The processor apparatus is further structuredto relate specific detectors 2061 to the specific portions of the touchscreen display 2055. Thus, when the processor apparatus detects theactuation of a specific detector 2061 adjacent to a specific image, e.g.a selectable icon, the processor apparatus will initiate the function orroutine related to that icon, e.g. opening a calendar program.

Similarly, the processor apparatus is structured to employ specificdetectors 2061 to support the function of the virtual track ball 2032 inthe second area 2083 of the touch screen display 2055. Thus, actuationsof one or more of the detectors 2061 that support the virtual track ball2032 will be interpreted by the processor apparatus as being inputs fromthe virtual track ball 2032. For instance, an actuation of a sequentialplurality of detectors 2061 extending along a particular direction onthe touch screen display 2055 in the second area 2083 might beinterpreted as a navigational input, a scrolling input, a selectioninput, and/or another input in the particular direction. Since the usercan freely move a finger, for instance, in any direction on the touchscreen display 2055, the virtual track ball 2032 is a multiple-axisinput device. Other inputs, such as a non-moving actuation of one ormore detectors 2061 in the central region of the virtual track ball 2032could be interpreted by the processor apparatus as an actuation input ofthe virtual track ball 2032, such as would be generated by an actuationof the track ball 32 of the handheld electronic device 1004 in adirection toward the housing 1006 thereof. It can be understood thatother types of actuations of the detectors 2061 in the second area 2083can be interpreted as various other inputs without departing from thedisclosed and claimed concept.

The handheld electronic device 2004 thus comprises a multiple-axis inputdevice 2032 that is non-mechanical but that still provides the samefunctional features and advantages as, say, the track ball 32 of thehandheld electronic device 4. It is understood that the virtual trackball 2032 is but one example of the many types of multiple-axis inputdevices that could be employed on the handheld electronic device 2004.

While specific embodiments of the disclosed and claimed concept havebeen described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in theart that various modifications and alternatives to those details couldbe developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure.Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to beillustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the disclosed andclaimed concept which is to be given the full breadth of the claimsappended and any and all equivalents thereof.

1. A method of enabling input on a handheld electronic device thatcomprises an output apparatus, an input apparatus comprising a pluralityof input keys, and a processor apparatus comprising a memory havingstored therein a plurality of objects that comprise a plurality oflanguage objects, a plurality of characters, and a plurality of words,at least some of the language objects each being associated with aplurality of the characters, each word comprising a number of thecharacters, at least some of the input keys each having a number oflinguistic elements assigned thereto, each language object comprising anumber of the linguistic elements, the method comprising: detecting anambiguous text input comprising a number of selections of a number ofinput keys; generating a string of language objects that correspondswith at least an initial portion of the ambiguous input; outputting oneof the language objects of the string of language objects and at leastone variant language object as an alternative to the one of the languageobjects of the string of language objects in a first region of theoutput apparatus, the one of the language objects of the string oflanguage objects and the at least one variant language object beingselectable; outputting a character interpretation that comprises anumber of words comprising characters that correspond with at least aportion of the string of language objects in a second region of theoutput apparatus, the character interpretation being selectable;applying a selection focus to the one of the language objects of thestring of language objects, the at least one variant language object, orthe character interpretation; and in response to detecting a selectionof the one of the language objects of the string of language objects orthe at least one variant language object, outputting a second one of thelanguage objects of the string of language objects and at least onesecond variant language object in the first region, wherein the secondone of the language objects of the string of language objects comprisesa different portion of the string of language objects than the one ofthe language objects of the string of language objects.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: detecting a selection of the at least onevariant language object; and outputting another character interpretationthat comprises a number of words comprising characters that correspondwith the string of language objects as edited by the one of the languageobjects of the string of language objects being replaced with the atleast one variant language object.
 3. The method of claim 2, furthercomprising outputting the string of language objects at a text inputlocation on the output apparatus and, responsive to the detecting of aselection of the at least one variant language object, replacing thestring of language objects at the text input location with the string oflanguage objects as edited by the one of the language objects of thestring of language objects being replaced with the at least one variantlanguage object.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputtingthe string of language objects at a text input location on the outputapparatus and, responsive to a selection of the characterinterpretation, replacing the string of language objects at the textinput location with the character interpretation.
 5. The method of claim1, further comprising outputting the one of the language objects of thestring of language objects, the at least one variant language object,and the character interpretation as objects that are selectable by oneor more predetermined inputs.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the inputapparatus comprises a multiple-axis input device, the method furthercomprising: outputting a lookup window comprising as output componentsthe one of the language objects of the string of language objects, theat least one variant language object, and the character interpretation;applying a selection focus to one of the one of the language objects ofthe string of language objects, the at least one variant languageobject, and the character interpretation; and detecting a navigationalinput and, responsive thereto, shifting the selection focus to anotherof the one of the language objects of the string of language objects,the at least one variant language object, and the characterinterpretation.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising detecting aselection input from the multiple-axis input device and, responsivethereto, and when the navigational input had resulted in a shifting ofthe selection focus to the at least one variant language object,outputting another character interpretation that comprises a number ofwords comprising characters that correspond with the string of languageobjects as edited by the one of the language objects of the string oflanguage objects being replaced with the at least one variant languageobject.
 8. The method of claim 6, further comprising detecting aselection input from the multiple-axis input device and, responsivethereto, and when the navigational input had resulted in a shifting ofthe selection focus to the character interpretation, outputting thecharacter interpretation at a text input location on the outputapparatus.
 9. The method of claim 5, further comprising outputting asthe character interpretation a default character interpretation and atleast one variant character interpretation as an alternative to at leasta portion of the default character interpretation.
 10. The method ofclaim 9, further comprising outputting the string of language objects ata text input location on the output apparatus and, responsive to aselection of the at least one variant character interpretation,outputting the at least one variant character interpretation at the textinput location in place of whatever portion of the string of languageobjects with which the at least one variant character interpretationcorresponds.
 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: outputtingthe string of language objects at a text input location on the outputapparatus; and outputting a lookup window comprising a first portion anda second portion, the one of the language objects of the string oflanguage objects and the at least one variant language object beingoutput in the first portion, and the character interpretation beingoutput in the second portion.
 12. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising, responsive to the ambiguous text input, applying a selectionfocus to the lookup window.
 13. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising outputting as the character interpretation in the secondportion a default character interpretation and at least one variantcharacter interpretation as an alternative to at least a portion of thedefault character interpretation.
 14. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising detecting as the ambiguous text input an ambiguous text inputin Latin letters, and outputting as the character interpretation anumber of words comprising at least one of Chinese characters, Japanesecharacters, and Korean characters.
 15. A handheld electronic devicecomprising: a processor apparatus comprising a processor and a memoryhaving a plurality of objects stored therein; an input apparatuscomprising a plurality of input keys and being structured to provideinput to the processor apparatus; an output apparatus structured toreceive output signals from the processor apparatus; at least some ofthe input keys each having a number of linguistic elements assignedthereto; the plurality of objects comprising a plurality of languageobjects, a plurality of characters, and a plurality of words, at leastsome of the language objects each being associated with a plurality ofthe characters, each word comprising a number of the characters, eachlanguage object comprising a number of the linguistic elements; thememory further having stored therein a number of routines which, whenexecuted on the processor, cause the handheld electronic device toperform operations comprising: detecting an ambiguous text inputcomprising a number of selections of a number of input keys, at leastsome of the number of input keys each having as the number of linguisticelements assigned thereto a plurality of linguistic elements assignedthereto; generating a string of language objects that corresponds withat least an initial portion of the ambiguous input; outputting one ofthe language objects of the string of language objects and at least onevariant language object as an alternative to the one of the languageobjects of the string of language objects in a first region of theoutput apparatus, the one of the language objects of the string oflanguage objects and the at least one variant language object beingselectable; outputting a character interpretation that comprises anumber of words comprising characters that correspond with at least aportion of the string of language objects in a second region of theoutput apparatus, the character interpretation being selectable;applying a selection focus to the one of the language objects of thestring of language objects, the at least one variant language object, orthe character interpretation; and in response to detecting a selectionof the one of the language objects of the string of language objects orthe at least one variant language object, outputting a second one of thelanguage objects of the string of language objects and at least onesecond variant language object in the first region, wherein the secondone of the language objects of the string of language objects comprisesa different portion of the string of language objects than the one ofthe language objects of the string of language objects.
 16. The handheldelectronic device of claim 15 wherein the operations further comprise:detecting a selection of the at least one variant language object; andoutputting another character interpretation that comprises a number ofwords comprising characters that correspond with the string of languageobjects as edited by the one of the language objects of the string oflanguage objects being replaced with the at least one variant languageobject.
 17. The handheld electronic device of claim 16 wherein theoperations further comprise outputting the string of language objects ata text input location on the output apparatus and, responsive to thedetecting of a selection of the at least one variant language object,replacing the string of language objects at the text input location withthe string of language objects as edited by the one of the languageobjects of the string of language objects being replaced with the atleast one variant language object.
 18. The handheld electronic device ofclaim 15 wherein the operations further comprise outputting the one ofthe language objects of the string of language objects, the at least onevariant language object, and the character interpretation as objectsthat are selectable by one or more predetermined inputs.
 19. Thehandheld electronic device of claim 18 wherein the input apparatuscomprises a multiple-axis input device, and wherein the operationsfurther comprise: outputting a lookup window comprising as outputcomponents the one of the language objects of the string of languageobjects, the at least one variant language object, and the characterinterpretation; applying a selection focus to one of the one of thelanguage objects of the string of language objects, the at least onevariant language object, and the character interpretation; and detectinga navigational input and, responsive thereto, shifting the selectionfocus to another of the one of the language objects of the string oflanguage objects, the at least one variant language object, and thecharacter interpretation.
 20. The handheld electronic device of claim 18wherein the operations further comprise outputting as the characterinterpretation a default character interpretation and at least onevariant character interpretation as an alternative to at least a portionof the default character interpretation.
 21. The handheld electronicdevice of claim 15 wherein the operations further comprise: outputtingthe string of language objects at a text input location on the outputapparatus; and outputting a lookup window comprising a first portion anda second portion, the one of the language objects of the string oflanguage objects and the at least one variant language object beingoutput in the first portion, and the character interpretation beingoutput in the second portion.